Interview with Anton Damsteek, general director of Albis Iberia
Can you briefly describe the Albis company?
ALBIS Plastics Group is a company founded in Hamburg in 1961. It is a family company which employs approximately 900 employees and had sales of 573 million euros in 2007. Currently, in addition to our headquarters in Germany, where it is also one of our factories and our laboratories, we have 17 subsidiaries in major European countries, one in United States, one in Asia, to which are added two representative offices.
Our activity has two clearly differentiated aspects: on the one hand, we are dedicated to the distribution of thermoplastics and in many countries distribute products from companies such as Basf, Basell, Bayer Material Science and Eastman.
On the other hand Albis is "compounder", manufacturer of compounds with a technical compounds-oriented approach.
What kinds of compounds does Albis?
We manufacture various kinds of compounds, with several brands. Under the brand name Alcom we manufacture and sell products made to measure, very sophisticated. Another well-known brand is Altech, which are most common compounds (PP, PA, PC...) than the previous ones. ALFATER XL, for its part, is a thermoplastic elastomer (PP + EPDM). Tedur is a former brand of Bayer, a linear PPS used primarily in applications where high temperatures and chemical resistance are required. Cellidor is also a former brand of Bayer, acetate butyrates and propionate whose best-known application is the knife from Victorinox. Alcolor is our brand of color concentrates and concentrated additives. ALBIS manufactures concentrates can be only color and/or function, i.e. combination of color with other additives.
Where are the compounds produced?
Our compounds are produced in three factories, two of them located in Germany and the other in England, but our know-how is centralized in the central of Hamburg, where the laboratory and the Centre of development. It is here, in this Centre, which is the origin of everything, where they devise and develop new compounds, where are "born" ideas. In the Centre of development we welcome our customers, who express us their needs. With your collaboration, we develop new products in response to their demands. Just this advice of high-level technical and custom, when necessary, is one of the characteristics that define our products and our own company.
ALBIS also distributes plastic. Which plastics are these?
Yes, indeed, in addition to producing compounds we distribute plastics. In Germany, for example, are the most important Distributor. The main brands there are Basf, Bayer Material Science, Lanxess, Ineos ABS, Eastman and LyondellBasell, among others. Many of them we have a relationship of more than 40 years.
Thus Albis is then also a conventional Distributor...
Not exactly. In Spain an aspect that sets us apart from other distributors is that, in addition to accessing conventional customers, we are actively seeking new applications. The producers we delegate responsibility, not only to continue with the existing business, but also to find new opportunities. All this is accompanied by a network of technicians. In Albis wouldn't be possible our current turnover without technicians. Each of our filar them has at least one technician, because the type of product you sell is not sold without technical support.
Our activity focuses on very demanding, very sophisticated applications. We provide especially materials that complement the most common.
Another important issue is that Albis has license to manufacture some of the products of the manufacturers. Not to compete, among other things because we can, but to supplement the capacity of the manufacturer. For example, to make small batches of a certain color, etc.
Albis Iberia has recently added new brands to offer...
Yes, on April 1, 2009 we have the distribution of semi-crystalline products of Lanxess (Durethan PA and PA 6.6 and Pocan PBT or mixtures of PBT with PET). In addition, since May 1, we have incorporated also the distribution of products of Bayer Material Science as Makrolon, Bayblend, Apec, Desmopan TPU and Makroblend (PC+PET, PC+PBT and PBT+PC).
In almost all European countries Albis was already distributor of these products. This important step in Albis Iberia is part of a process to complete the distribution in Europe. It is a fantastic opportunity to complement our European distribution network.
Since when it acts Albis in Spain?
ALBIS began work on Spain in 1982, although I I arrived in Albis Iberia in 2004. One of my goals was to give continuity in Spain strategy that Albis was already applied in other international markets. As I have already said, our approach is to put in the foreground the technical of our company, with a high level Advisory, component to sell this type of product is needed the support of an engineer. At first we started with compounds of Albis already approved in other countries, whose processing was done in Spain. So, I started in 2004 and now, distributions complement our activity and open us much the range of customers and possible applications.
In addition to new brands incorporated in its range, do you offer any more?
Yes, Albis Iberia also distributed in Spain products not composed of LyondellBasell. Also here we avoid compete in the field of "commodity" and, within the line of Basell, look for a line of technical products. Pristene/Metocene is a line of products manufactured with highly advanced catalyst technology and with them we look for replacements of other types of technical plastics. Our approach, and I think that it is the key to our success, it is highly technical. It is our strength, our vocation and the way in which we compete.
It should not be easy to locate processors who want to or can change the plastics using... How do you find them?
Surprisingly, on the one hand we start from a base of transformers, but in general they do not have the flexibility to change the approval of their client. That is why we also contacted with the final producer. Our technical engineers in Spain go to the end user with the message that we offer solutions in the field of substitution of metals or new applications. To show the role of our compounds, many of our clients include the possibilities that are open in Albis. The future of the processing industry, increasingly, is to manufacture products with added value.
Distributors that offer solutions to their customers will remain. They have to offer more than a product catalog
How developed sales in recent years, in Spain?
They have risen much, but let us not forget, to be frank, we start from a level relatively low. From 2005 to 2007 doubled sales, although in 2008 they went down because of the bad situation of the sector. We thought about doubling the sales of 2007, but this forecast was made before of what is happening, with which I am not sure that going to meet our objectives. What is certain is that new brands in our product portfolio we will help you.
Everything from one hand
One of the advantages of Albis is that it offers everything from one hand, i.e., a package that combines distribution, production of compounds and technical service. "Unlike others, we offer a service of new product development". We have engineers aimed at end users to develop new products for them. "That is to say, the combination of distribution, production of compounds and service puts us in a better position."
It can be said then that Albis Iberia is in the process of expansion in Spain?
If, in fact, in April of this year 2009 came to a new Office, located in Sant Just Desvern (Barcelona), a bet that is part of our current policy of growth. Another significant fact is that we have hired an engineer technical to the North and another person of a similar profile to Portugal, so we have the peninsula covered. I would say that we have still a small base, but that we progress with caution towards sustained growth.
Now, the situation of the plastics industry is critical. How do you view this situation? Do you think that in Spain the problem is more serious than in other countries?
Yes, I see it more critical here. But also a country like Germany is suffering a lot, even if it is for other reasons, because it is the exporter par excellence. In Spain, the lack of specialization is a problem. It is true that there are many companies who receive you with open arms if you go with new ideas and that ask for small quantities for testing. I.e., there are such companies, but we have to find them. There is a problem of mentality, difficult to change, but it is clear that for many the change of mindset is an obligation. In addition, there are also improve efficiency, because but it may not be competitive. I speak of automations, of robotizaciones, improve production processes. In Germany, for example, already have been years lowering costs.
Often, manufacturers say that the future for European producers is in value-added products. Accepting that this is true in theory, are seen from Albis who, indeed, the Spanish transformer seeks more value-added applications?
There are some Yes, but I think that still is not usual. The search is difficult and there is little mentality here. To the common question of how much is a kilogram of material, we have arguments enough to demonstrate that an expensive material may be more profitable that one cheap. But it is hard to introduce this message.
Then, is the trend just by where you are interested in to Albis?
Yes, I think Yes. The key to our success has always been our technical vocation and we think that from now on it will remain one of our values, because only with special, with value-added products, with a high level technical advice can remain competitive European industry and the Spanishof course.
To what attribute this lack of mentality in the Spanish industry?
Possibly happen, because for many years the reason why many came here was the cost. It was easy, many came to produce Spain. This is gone, because Spain is no longer a country cheap. We are now playing in the League of the great, Spain is one of the main consumers of plastics and we have to find the tools to fight in that League. I think that in the future there will be fewer, less dealers, because there is no market for all. And I think that technical function which will assess medium-term.
